


Hidden Prayers

by Oh_Toasty



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Afghanistan, Anger, Kid Tony Stark, M/M, Mind Control, Non-Linear Narrative, Nordic gods, Palladium Poisoning, Prayer, Time Skips, Worship, mentions of torture, norse gods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 18:07:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6998959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oh_Toasty/pseuds/Oh_Toasty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tony is a little boy, his god hears the prayers he hides in other actions and appears before him. Then, he never truly leaves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hidden Prayers

They torture him many ways, from drowning him in water to carving him up, but he never begs or even screams. Tony learned at a young age what those actions mean. He understands how they can either be his most powerful tools or his most bitter disappointment.

In the evenings it is Yinsen who tends to his wounds, lips pursed in focus. His eyes trace over Tony's wounds and he shakes his head.

"You are a fool. Were you to simply show a sign of pain they would not be so cruel."

Tony snorts, "Trust me, were I to scream I would face a fate much crueler than this."

"How do?" Yinsen asks, voice so soft Tony barely hears him.

Tony smiles faintly, "Better to be in pain than to be disappointed again, and disappointed I would be. It's been a long while since my screams and whimpers have actually drawn in my savior."

Yinsen gives him a curious look, but says nothing. The gesture makes Tony appreciate the man even more.

"Such a stubborn one," a man whispers as he licks his lips and eyes Tony's body, "That sure would make it more fun if I were to have my way with you."

Tony's mind flashes towards half finished plans of a suit, cautiously tucked under his dirty mattress and thoughts of screams. He shakes his head.

"No need, I'll build weapons," he purposely leaves off who the weapons are meant for.

His captors are fools, they give him weapons he himself has created and expect him to make the master weapon. It never occurs to them that if Tony can invent a weapon, he can use one.

When he leaves the only whimpers and screams the cave has heard are those of his captures. A dark fire lights in Tony's heart as he reaffirms to himself that he needs no god.

~~~~

Tony has always thought he'd go out in a blaze of gory, not by heavy metal poisoning. Still there is nothing he can do, will do to save himself.

A traitorous part of his brain demands he call for the one he used to think of as his savior; he silences it instantly. Whether Tony lives or dies, it will be by his _own_ doing.

He creates a new element and takes out Ivan Vanko. Not once does he beg or scream.

"I don't need him," Tony lies.

~~~~

"You have homework," Pepper tells him and Tony can only nod as he stares at the hologram before him.

_Loki._

_Loki._

_Loki._

He stares at the man, so different than before with his unkempt hair and desperate eyes. He is nothing like the god Tony had worshiped in his youth. This is not his god, his savior, this is a cheap imitation.

"Oh Loki," he whispers sadly, "Is this why you haven't come?"

~~~~

Tony is five when he discovers Norse mythology. There's an instant connection with Loki and he knows, knows this is his god. Tony worships as best as he can, without revealing to whom his loyalties lie.

Then Howard's discovers him, his devotion to a god who is not science.

The man grips his arm entirely to hard and Tony screams in fear as Howard draws back a hand, "Loki!"

The hand never makes impact with his face. When Tony looks up he discovers a raven haired man restraining his father and whispering threats. Upon finishing, he stares down at Tony and offers a hand, Tony takes it.

From that point on, his every scream and whimper is taken as a prayer, and Loki is there.

Tony has found his god is a part of his life in the physical realm as well.

~~~~

Tony is twenty-one when his parents die and he calls upon his god, like he has so many times before.

Loki materializes before him, fingers trailing down the side of his face. Tony can't help it, he launches himself at the only source of comfort he's ever known and they fall into bed together.

He never expects that they'll grow to be anything more than god and subject.

~~~~

"I love you," Tony says when he is twenty-three and lying in bed tracing non-existent swirling patterns along Loki's abdomen.

His god tenses, "I am a fool."

"No, I am," Tony apologizes attempting to roll out of bed. Loki hold him place.

"Hush Anthony, you misunderstand me. I love you also, I simply was realizing I should not, you're a mortal after all.l

"We'll work it out."

~~~~

"I must go," Loki tells Tony, hand stroking his cheek.

The mortal shrugs, "Alright, I'll see you later."

"No Tony," Loki objects. "Look at me."

Tony obeys, who is he to refuse? "What's wrong?"

"I must go, but this time will not be like the others," Loki pauses as he reads the question in Tony's eyes. "I cannot be sure of my return. I assure you though, I will make sure to use haste."

Tony Stark is thirty-seven when his god disappears from his life.

~~~~  
Loki is gone, and Tony spends the anniversary of his parents death alone for the first time.

He cries, screams for Loki. No one comes and Tony learns disappointment.

He drowns himself in liquor, at the moment it seems far more holy than a god who seems to have forgotten him.

~~~~

He gets kidnapped by terrorists in Afghanistan and by now Tony knows better than to pray for his god. He's been alone for three years, and he knows if he makes it out he'll be alone again.

Perhaps it would have been better had Loki remained as an aloof god, worshiped but unseen.

~~~~

"Make a move, Reindeer Games." He says, and he almost wishes that the god would simply so he could show him the last five years of loneliness and pain.

Loki's armor disappears and he comes willingly, Tony is instantly suspicious. It only grows worse when he sticks around despite Thor abandoning him to fight Tony.

~~~~

"I want to know what you've done with Barton," Agent Romanoff demands of Loki.

The god scoffs, "Little Widow have you come to play me?"

Tony snorts, then glances about to ensure nobody has realized he's hacked the surveillance.

"I will not speak with you," Loki continues. "No, there is only one person aboard with whom I will speak."

"Who who do you want," Natasha asks, "Fury?"

"Not at all," Loki laughs before he looks up into the camera as if he knows Tony is watching. "Hello Anthony."

~~~~

"What do you want Loki?" Tony asks when he's finally allowed in to speak with the god.

  
Loki smirks, "To have a conversation."

"We have nothing to talk about," Tony informs him, "You're invading my planet and I'm stopping you."

"You wish to stop me," Loki corrects, "You haven't yet."

Tony nods giving his cage a once over, "You could of gotten out of here in seconds, why are you still here."

"Perhaps, I wanted to see your pretty face," Loki flirts, but Tony know what he really wants and carefully inspects Loki until he finds the problem. Loki, beautiful green eyed Loki, is currently sporting shining blue irises.

"You've seen it," Tony says, "Now I must go."

~~~~

"Thor, what color are Loki's eyes?" Tony demands and Fury glares at him.

"You called a meeting for this?"

Thor talks over him, "Green, why though?"

Tony barely contains his joy, "They're blue now, blue like his scepter and blue like Selvig and Barton's eyes went."

"Are you implying that Loki is being controlled also," Rogers asks and he looks sick.

Natasha taps her fingers against the table, "Who can control a god?"

"It is possible," Thor muses. "My brother fell through the void a long while, we do not know who he may have encountered."

"How do we help him," Bruce wonders, "Break the control?"

Tony stands and begins to pace, "Well Loki isn't completely gone, he wanted us to know about the control. It seems more likely that he's not actively being controlled all the time, they only interfere if they feel as if somethings gone wrong."

"So we need to find a way to sever the connection," Bruce muses.

"Or replace it with another," Tony mutters, lips barely moving as ideas fill his mind.

~~~~

Tony learned at a young age what begging and screaming can do, which why he refused to do so even for his terrorists. But now, here with his god, Tony drops to his knees and _begs, screams, prays._

Jarvis has cut off all audio from reaching the Avengers and Fury watching the surveillance, because this, this is for Tony and Loki, nobody else. All the observed see is Tony kneeling on the ground before Loki who has one hand resting on his shoulder. They all watch as the god's eyes turn green once more.

"How did, what did he do?" Bruce questions.

There's no response as Tony stands and Jarvis flicks the audio back on. Loki smiles up at the camera, "You're people will be returned to you momentarily."

Then they are both gone, no doubt to reintroduce god and worshiper properly.


End file.
